Call me Severus
by WARPED KAWAII
Summary: a one shot AU, Severus noticing Hermione for the first time as the brew together for the order.


Severus Snape stumbled into his room in Grimauld place after quite possible the longest day of his life. He'd been to Strategy meetings on both sides of the war, pulling in two directions, punished by the dark lord for his lack of valuable information and taunted by Black who felt he hadn't provided enough valuable information.

He like the trio, Weasleys and Lupin had been staying at headquarters during the summer holidays working on various tasks for the order. Severus, in addition to his work as a double agent, had been tasked with brewing as many potions that had potential to be of use as possible. Unfortunately Miss Granger had been working as his assistant.

Thus far she had proven to be competent if not loquacious. Their work,which could have been done in near silence if he had his preference, was constantly peppered with questions and comments from the young Gryffindor. The comments he mostly ignored and the questions earned her glares that had she been a student would have shut her up. However she was recently graduated and no longer feared him in that respect now that he could no longer take house points.

As he collapsed into his bed still dressed, the spasms of the cruiatus he endured at the hands of the dark lord rippling through his spine, he spared a thought to the following day's plans. He'd be sequestered into the basement with the girl brewing blood replenishers and skelegrow. As he began to drift off he counted the ways he could close her mouth for her.

maybe a permanent sticking charm on her lips, sealing them together, perhaps a permanent langlock? He could just buy her gobs of toffee but then she might think he has a heart of some sort and mistake him for a friend. his very last thought as his subconscious took over was covering her mouth with his own in a thorough snog might prove fairly effective.

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He came down from as the sun was barely beginning to crest the horizon, he preferred to eat alone in the morning, citing the smell of dog put him off his meal any time Black was in the room. This morning he found the kitchen occupied by Miss Granger who was also an early riser but she normally waited to eat with her friends. She was dressed in brightly coloured yet very tight shorts and a vest that was made of such little material her bra was visible on the sides.

"Miss Granger." he said nodding slightly in acknowledgment as he took his usual seat, Kreacher having already prepared his tea and toast and very carefully looked anywhere but at her.

"Good morning Professor!" she chirped brightly "don't mind me, I'll be out of your hair shortly I'm just getting some water, I just couldn't sleep so I'm gonna start my yoga early today." she bounced out of the room, her footfalls only perceptible to the trained spy.

Once he deemed it safe he looked up from his cup, the assault of her wardrobe on his eyes was almost as unwelcome as the constant barrage of words from her mouth. But a thought tingled at the back of his mind replaying the glimpse of flesh the clothing had given him wondering how that flesh looked shimmering with sweat after her workout was over.

After his meal he made his way back up to his room, moving a bit slower than usual as the pain from last night endured in the small of his back. Voices raised from the library as he walked by, so naturally he stopped as listened.

"Ronald, would you please just let me be?" her voice sounded irritated, yet also strangely muffled. He carefully moved enough to see through the crack in the door and saw her on all fours with her rear in the air. Mr. Weasley was sitting on the library sofa ogling the girl shamelessly . Severus raised an eyebrow at the scene, Not sure if he was irritated by the boy drilling his eyes into her bum or jealous of his view.

"Come on Mione, you never was to do anything else you may as well let me enjoy the view." the boy whined.

"I don't do this for you I do it to stay healthy," she stood and changed positions gracefully standing on one leg and arching the other behind her, her arms curving like a dancer.

"you don't do anything for me that's the problem" Ron shot back hotly. Hermione switched legs now with a sigh. More tense than before. A muscle twitched on her thigh and Severus could see her growing increasingly agitated. "you spend all day stuffed up doing potions with that overgrown bat, then you're always to tired to spend any time together and when we do spend time together your too frigid to do anything more than kiss me"

Severus raised both eyebrows at Weasley's tirade. Hermione however was taken quite aback and the twitching thigh gave way toppling the witch who landed hard on her hip. Ron looked at least a little guilty and reached out for her.

"Don't touch me right now Ronald." she hissed through tears. Severus sighed and pushed the door open.

"I heard a commotion as I was coming up the stairs." he supplied dryly "Is everything alright Miss Granger?" he pointedly ignored the young man in the room.

"I fell over sir, I'm sure I'll be fine." she winced as she started to stand. "thank you for checking though."

"Come with me Miss Granger, I have salve you would benefit from at this moment." he turned to walk out but then turned back after a beat and walked back to the girl. He gracefully grabbed her hand and indicated she lean on him and escorted her out of the room.

Ron knew better than to open his mouth at that moment but he could see the older man had made his first move.

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He guided Hermione to his room and helped her sit on the edge of his unmade bed. He went to a shelf on the wall that held most the commonly used potions and grabbed a small brown pot containing the salve. He turned back to see her looking around curiously.

"I don't sleep in a coffin." he said snapping her out of her revelry. "nor do I eat babies, summon demons or worship satin. Although the last one was written on a bathroom wall and I am fairly certain they meant Satan. I'm sure a first year wrote that." she giggled at his dry humor and visibly relaxed.

"I hadn't heard about eating babies but I admit I thought by 'worship satin' they were implying you were either gay or a secret drag queen." This caught Severus off guard and for the first time in what felt like years he laughed.

"With this nose I assure you Madam, I'd be the ugliest queen in London." he pulled a chair up in front of her and they sat knee to knee.

"Oh I don't know you could look very regal with the right makeup, " she said studying his face "so gay then?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Ah no, most decidedly not." he was now looking at anything but the girl sitting before him, he wasn't even sure his this conversation happened but it was the most uncomfortable he'd been since he first discovered the opposite sex as a teen boy.

"good." she said, almost in a whisper. He stole a glance and saw her biting her lip and also trying not to look at him.

"the salve." he said finally, breaking the silence between them.

"yes!" she latched on to this life raft of words, desperate to escape their sinking conversation.

"It will take care of the pain and bruising but it may make your leg quite numb so its important to wait about ten minutes before trying to walk. Do you want me to apply it?" he asked and then suddenly regretted it. There was no reason to ask that, it was just her hip and she had perfectly good hands. His mind and mouth were both starting to betray him.

She stared at him for a moment unsure of what to do, her mouth opened and closed and she simply nodded her head. Watching him. He indicated she lay on her side and he reached up and pulled back the waist band of her tight shorts exposing her hip. the thin band of her pink lacy knickers went directly across the large purple bruise so he pulled those back as well.

Trying to keep his face impassive he scooped up the thick white salve and began to massage it into her flesh. Her breathing was shallow and goosebumps had appeared on her arms and legs. After a bout five minutes, Severus realized he'd rubbed the salve in after the first minute and had just been rubbing her bare skin for no reason the rest of the time.

He cleared his throat and took his hand off her feeling as though he had the word pervert stamped on his head. She quickly adjusted her clothes and forgetting his warning she stood up, embarrassed and keen to run away while her pride was intact. Unfortunately for the Gryffindor, her hip and subsequent

her thigh was completely numb and she immediately landed in Severus's lap. Reflexively he wrapped his arms around her as she landed to prevent her from falling more.

" I forgot." she whispered.

"So I see" he responded equally quietly.

"You look much younger up close." she whispered, studying his features.

"So before this you thought I was both gay and looked old.?" he smirked "I suddenly know why I'm perpetually single...or why Kinglsey is always asking me round for tea."Hermione laughed again, he found he was rather enjoying her laughter when he caused it.

"I'm afraid I'm insulting you quite a bit today, I'm sorry." she blushed.

"You are forgiven Miss Granger," he suddenly became aware of her sitting in his lap and how good it felt to have his arms wrapped around her. He told himself that he'd enjoy the feeling of any young woman in his arms and it was merely his scarce dating opportunities I the last 12 years that was making her so attractive to him. He was certain by the time they were half way through brewing this afternoon he'd be back to his usual levels of despising the woman. "I believe your time is up. Can you stand." he noted the quick flutter of disappointment that fluttered across her face, but she gave a quick nod and stood with no complications this time.

"Thank you sir, It was very much appreciated" she said before turning and walking out the door. He found he immediately missed her presence.

"I'm going insane." He told himself after the door clicked shut.

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Brewing later that evening was rather more uncomfortable for the potions master than he anticipated. Granger still babbled incessantly but he found himself responding, Unsure of how to stop at this point.

"Professor?" she asked "I was wondering if you ever took on apprentices?" she looked nervous, trying no to look up from her task of grinding hawthorne berries into paste.

Severus took a moment to consider the girl. She was skilled with potions that much was true, and he could certainly use the extra set of hands an apprentice would give him. Especially now with the war looming on the horizon. But the flip side of that coin was the forced proximity to the girl who he couldn't decide if he wanted to throttle or snog.

The quiet from him seemed to worry her so she looked up at him from across the table. He could see worry in her chocolate brown eyes through the steam billowing out from the cauldron.

"If you are asking to apply for an apprenticeship Miss Granger, I normally don't take them on. " he saw her expression sag, and she looked back down to her berries. "however your slightly less abysmal than the average applicant and I find myself in need of assistance this year anyway so I'm willing to make an exception for you. "

The grin on her face warmed the whole basement and he almost smiled back when she ecstatically thanked him.

"I'll discuss the details with the headmaster and have a contract drawn up."

she was silent the rest of the brewing session counting her stirs and monitoring the temperature of the potion until it was its proper dark red .

"you go ahead to dinner Miss Granger, I'll clean up and decant the potion." he said still feeling pleased with the smile radiating from her face."I'm sure you are bursting to share the news with Tweedle Dee and Dum." She chuckled a little and he stood a little taller.

"Thank you again professor, for everything."

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Hermione was still grinning when she found her friends in the sitting room.

"Hi boys!" she chirped sliding into an armchair.

"You're done with brewing early tonight," harry observed, looking up from the wizards chess game in front of him. "Snape didn't kick you out did he?"

"No, Professor Snape did not kick me out." she said, making sure to emphasize the professor part. Always desperate to get the boys to show a modicum of respect to the man. "He let me go early today because I have such good news!" she looked at the boys excitedly, hardly containing her beaming smile.

"Are you finally done helping the greasy git with the brewing?" Ron asked, perking up. "That's great! We can finally spend some time together!" he slid his hand over her knee and she knew exactly what he meant by time. Hermione just sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No, were far from done actually, we still have several more batches of healing potions and in this weekend a batch of occamy shells are coming in to brew the Felix Felicis. Honestly Ron do you pay attention to the meetings.?" she stood up, and held out her hands to brace them for what in her mind was quite possibly the most wonderful news short of Voldemort spontaneously combusting. "Professor snape has agreed to take me on as a potions apprentice!"

Silence followed her statement, Harry was the first to speak

"That's great Hermione." it sounded more like a question but he made an effort and for that she was grateful. Ron didn't look happy for her, when he finally spoke he was clearly less than thrilled with her fantastic news.

"So what about us? Did you think of that at all? Ever since we started dating you spend more time with the dungeon bat than you do me."

Harry sensing an argument he didn't want to be a part of quickly left the room quietly stopping the twins who were on their way into the sitting room as well and shutting the door on the arguing couple.

"I spend all my Free time with you Ronald, just because I won't spend that time snogging or letting you under my jumper doesn't mean that time doesn't count!" she glared at him as she spoke. "and I'm sorry my work for the order is such an inconvenience for you, but you may have forgotten were in a war and the potions we brew will be used to save the lives of everyone we care about!"

"I just don't see why you have to take on an apprenticeship to boot!" he shot back "I figured when you were done helping we could focus on us. "

"I don't see how me being a potions apprentice is going to prevent us from being us." she said pushing her wile curls back from her face. " whats preventing 'us' is you assuming the only valid part of our relationship is the physical part and not respecting that I'm not ready for that yet."

"well if you weren't such a damn tease all the time-" he was cut off by her apperating from the room.

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Severus had decanted the last of the potions, labeled and stored them when he heard the crack of apperation. His wand was up in a defensive position when he heard the sobs of his new apprentice coming from the top of the stairs. He quickly stowed his wand made his way up the stairs to her.

Sitting a few steps below her he finally spoke.

"Miss Granger?" she jumped a little, having been preoccupied with her anger and tears. "this is a far cry from the mood you left in. would you care to talk about?"he found the site of her in tears stirred some protective feelings in him.

"I just expected Ron to be happy for me." she said pulling a tissue out of her pocket. "I'm sure you'd rather not be bothered by such silly things sir, I'll just go." she started to get up and he knew he wasn't ready to let her go yet, still in tears like this.

"Miss Granger." she stopped and looked at him expectantly but he hadn't really given any thought to what he'd say next. "I have a bottle of elf made wine, in my room that would be perfect for toasting a new apprenticeship. Would you care to join me?" She smiled that radiant smile and nodded.

"That sounds lovely. Thank you" as they walked up their stairs making their way to his room he could tell she was trying to figure out why he was being so kind. Her mind was loud and her thoughts tended to project themselves when she was deeply contemplative.

"You'll find, " he spoke " that an apprenticeship is much deeper than a student teacher relationship, we need a certain level of symbiosis. it can be dangerous work and therefore absolute trust between us is imperative. So it would be beneficial to get to know each other and build that trust now while we have the chance." years of spying told him there was a redhead skulking in the doorway to the kitchen as they passed, unnoticed by Granger. So he added "some say the relationship between a potions master and apprentice is one of the most intimate there can be."

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Moments later they were standing in his room with a glass of elf made wine each.

" To a successful apprenticeship and the beginning of a tolerable working relationship." He said dryly.

Hermione chuckled at his toast and sipped her wine

"oh! That's lovely!" she said taking another sip "I had muggle wine with my parents in France years ago but it was no where near as nice."

"I've always found muggle alcohol to be either to acrid or too weak so serve its purpose." He said swirling his glass and breathing in the bouquet "although the danger in elf made wine is its delicate taste coupled with its extremely intoxicating nature. "She was watching him speak intently, a flush creeping up her cheeks.

"one glass for me then. " she said fanning her face. "I don't imagine its very proper to get sloshed with your master before the apprenticeship even starts."He couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of a drunk Hermione Granger.

"I imagine not. " he replied with a smirk "you seem in better spirits now, would you like to talk about it?" he really wanted to know what the reason this vibrant girl had been crying over the red head oaf and had hoped the wine would loosen her tongue.

"Its really silly, childish really." she said taking another sip. "but Ronald," she said his name sharply clearly still upset. "seems to think the only relationship worth a damn is a physical one and in his small mind me having an apprenticeship with you is going to get in the way of his only goal in life of seeing my tits. " she realized what she said and to who after she said it and clapped a hand over her mouth "Im so sorry that was really not what I expected to say ." she looked mortified.

Severus had many many thoughts rapidly fly through his mind, first Weasley being a boorish idiot. Second his embarrassment of sharing a common goal with Weasley, although he'd never admit it, and third riotous laughter at her wine induced babble . She looked shocked.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger I'm not laughing at you, it's just hearing the word 'tits' come out of your mouth was not something I anticipated today. " he collected himself and flopped rather less than gracefully into his chair, waving a hand to indicate she could sit on the edge of his bed, now made up unlike this morning. "I'm sorry Mr. Weasley thinks your choice of higher education is a hindrance."

"He called me frigid this morning, " she said tears threatening, her emotions amplified by the wine "and just now he called me a tease! For not falling into bed with him the second he was my boyfriend." her wine was gone now and she must have had a lower tolerance than he thought. He realized they were missing dinner and pulled out a tin of biscuits and offered her one.

"Its my opinion the boy is an idiot." he said draining his own glass. "Its perfectly common for a woman to not want to wait for her first time-"

"its not my first time," she said shyly, it was his his turn to look shocked. "I spent last summer with Viktor..." she trailed off.

"Krum?" he found a sudden urge to find and hex the bulgarian "Miss granger do you have a fetish for idiots?" she choked on her biscuit at this and forgetting he was a wizard who could have filled her glass with water poured her another measure of wine and another for himself while he was at it. She drank it to quell her coughing and composed herself before responding.

"I certainly do not." she looked a bit embarrassed then added "Viktor was purely physical."

"I have to ask, why are you waiting with the Weasley boy? " he was a bit more intoxicated than he'd usually allow in the company of a former student, or any one for that matter but it felt nice to relax a bit.

"To be honest I keep hoping when were snogging I'll get that feeling but it never happens." she said slipping down to the floor and drawing her knees up. Not wanting to be in the chair while she was on the floor he slipped out of his chair and sat facing her on the floor.

"What feeling?" she poured the wine this time.

"That feeling when you kiss and your body tingles all over, and you think you'll die if they don't touch you every where right that second." her breath was quick and her eyes dilated slightly as she spoke.

Suddenly he was very very warm and very aware of his body.

"I see. " he said simply. Silence followed and biscuits and wine were had. Somehow he came to sit beside her on the floor, each leaning against his bed .

"Have you ever had that feeling?" she whispered, feeling the heat radiate from him. "Where just a simple touch sets your body on fire.?"

"I have." his mouth was dry as he thought back to the morning with his hands on her flesh.

"Do you want to kiss me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I do, very much so. " he took a deep breath and regretted his next word immediately but he knew despite what the wine told him he needed to stop this from going to far. "but I won't. Not now." she looked crestfallen." he turned towards her and lifted her chin. "you are intoxicated, and in a relationship with someone else. I won't take advantage of the situation." she nodded

"I think its time for me to go." they stood up and he took her hand pulling her close to him.

"If you find yourself sober, and free of romantic entanglements with the boy..." he trailed off not wanting to say he'd snog her silly but the implication was there. He kissed her hand led her to his door and bid her goodnight.

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The next morning he woke up later than usual, his head stuffed with cotton. The price of elf made wine wasn't the steep 25 galleons a bottle, it was the hangover that was inevitable.

Taking a bottle of hangover potion off his shelf he downed it quickly feeling the fog clear. He supposed Miss Granger would be in need also so he took another dose down for her. After getting dressed he started toward the kitchen hoping to grab a cuppa before the rest of the house was bustling with the cacophony that was life with Weasleys.

He was passing the library when voices were raised inside yet again. Hearing Granger's voice he paused yet again, trying to decide if he should take the potion in to her.

"Ron please, I don't want to talk about this right now." she sounded worn.

"I'm just trying to apologize Mione, you know I care about you." he pressed, his voice eager. "I don't want to lose what we have." he was laying it on thick and Severus worried he was in danger of losing the girl before he even had her. He needed to throw the boy off and her next words were his cue.

"I understand that Ron but I have the worst headache." with that he pushed open the door and strode in.

"Ah Miss Granger, I thought I'd find you here." he found her laying back on the couch with a cushion over her eyes and kneeled beside her. "I forgot to tell you last night about the awful hangovers elf made wine will leave you with. Next time we imbibe feel free to take a hangover potion from the shelf before you go. It will save you from a tortuous morning." He popped the cork and held it out to her and she gratefully drank it.

"Oh thank you! You are an absolute angel!" she sighed gratefully as the fog lifted and she was able to sit up again. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, the closest he'd get to a smile with witnesses, and she beamed in return. Ron looked mutinous standing their watching the scene before him.

"you got plastered with this bastard and that's why you haven't wanted to talk to me all morning?" Ron was maroon.

"Mr. Weasley I can assure you my parents were married." he smirked and without taking his eyes off Hermione's face kissed her hand yet again. "I shan't be brewing with you as I have to meet Dumbledore about your contract, but I trust you can handle starting the murtlap essence on your own. I'll speak with you when I return this evening." her face was flushed yet again.

He was turning to leave when Ron stepped in front of him. The boy, was as tall as he was and far broader across the shoulders but Snape didn't feel intimidated at all. He merely raised an eyebrow lazily and waited for the boy to speak.

"Just what in the hell do think your doing Snape?" the boy looked ready to snap at any second.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean Mr. Weasley." he drawled, he looked bored with the young man already.

"your trying to move in on my girl, trying to make me look bad!" he accused.

"I really don't have to try." he smirked and Ron sputtered."and I'm certainly not 'moving in on' anyone, but I am making it perfectly clear I fully intend to court her the second she a free woman." He turned and nodded to Hermione who was swarming with feelings in that moment.

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when Severus left the room Hermione could practically feel her heart pull after him. Like it longed to be close to him.

"Ron, " she said sadly. I think we need to talk."

"Mione?" he deflated, he knew what was coming and it didn't make it any easier to hear. "of all people though?why him?"

"I'm sorry Ronald, I really did want this to work, but can you honestly say you feel anything when we kiss." she looked at him pleadingly.

"I guess I got so caught up in the idea of being together I never noticed." the ginger boy admitted, "you haven't kissed Snape have you?" he looked a bit green at the thought.

"No nothing's happened." she looked down. "we had some wine to toast my apprenticeship and got to talking. I really can't explain it but there's some kind of spark there."

"I might be disgusted at the thought but as your friend I support you if that's what you want." Ron clapped his hand on her back. " just don't give me any details."

"what details? Did you guys make up?" harry asked walking in the door followed by Ginny.

"Not exactly." Hermione said .

" We broke up." Ron announced rather bluntly "but its ok, We better as friends." he looked at her and smiled. There was still a hint of sadness in his eyes but she could tell he was truly happy for her. "You may as well tell them about the git's plans, they're probably going to find out sooner or later." Harry furrowed his brow and looked back and forth between his friends.

"Is it about the apprenticeship?" he asked.

"Nothings happened yet," Hermione prefaced knowing the boy-who-lived's tendency to fly of the handle. "but Professor Snape made is clear he intends to court me when I'm single and as I'm now single..."she trailed off not sure what to say.

"Did he really say 'court'?" Ginny asked sitting on the arm of the sofa, "wow."

"Wow what?" harry asked clearly not processing the information.

"Well courting implies intentions to marry." Ginny said. "in the wizarding world declaring you intend to court someone is pretty serious."

"OK but you don't have to let him court you if you don't want to right?" Harry asked looking at Hermione.

"But I want him too." she said a blush creeping onto her face again.

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She had finished decanting the last of the murtlap essence and was cleaning up when Severus arrived he paused to watch her from the stairs, her back still to him washing up the equipment without magic. She had a fine sheen of sweat from the steamy water and her hair was crammed into a messy bun with tendrils escaping and sticking to her neck and forehead. She rinsed the last cauldron and put it up to dry and turned around to see Snape standing there.

"Oh!" she quickly dried her face with the towel she was wiping her hands with and tried in vain to smooth back her hair. She was flushed, both from the heat of the room and attraction she felt for him.

"you're back." she said "is that my contract?" she pointed to the scroll in his hands.

"Indeed I am, and indeed it is." he lifted the corners of his mouth in an approximation of a smile. "you need only to sign it and then you will be officially an apprentice."

as soon as her signature was on the parchment it rolled itself up and popped off to the ministry to be filed and Hermione flung herself into his arms in her giddy celebration. She quickly pulled back worried she'd gone to far and shyly apologized.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it Miss Granger." he said softly.

"I have some news as well, Professor." she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. " I broke up with Ron today."

Silence. His heart hammered in his chest. two days ago he was only mildly aware she was an attractive person. Yesterday morning he knew he wanted to get to know her better, and yesterday evening he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. He wanted to be witty, he wanted to be clever and make it memorable. But instead like her lips had some magnetic pull he was drawn into her.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, his hands snaked into her wild hair and pulled her closer to him. When they finally pulled apart they were both panting and flushed and He allowed himself a true full smile as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Please call me Severus." he said before claiming her lips once again.

The end.


End file.
